Festivals & Venues Update: October 20
NSW ENTERTAINMENT VENUES UP FOR AWARDS
In the AHA (Australian Hotels Association) NSW Awards for Excellence next month, 13 music venues and five nightlife venues are up in their respective categories.
In the shortlist for Best Live Music Venue are Bayview Hotel (Gladesville ), Cambridge Hotel (Newcastle West), Coogee Bay Hotel (Coogee), Cruise Bar (Circular Quay West), Donnys (Manly), Florida Beach Bar (Terrigal),Hero of Waterloo (Millers Point), Hotel Steyne (Manly), Mercantile Hotel (The Rocks), O’Donoghues Irish Pub (Emu Plains), The Bayview (Woy Woy). The Lakes Hotel (The Entrance) and The Sheaf (Double Bay).
Vying for Best Nightclub / Nightlife Venue are Sydney Junction Hotel (Hamilton), The Albion Hotel (Parramatta), The Duke Of Wellington (New Lambton), The Kent Hotel (Hamilton) and The Sunken Monkey Hotel (Erina).
Winnerswill be announced at The Star on Tuesday November 21. Over 600 nominations were received for 50 categories.
A number of music showcasing venues are also up in different categories. The full list of award finalists is available at www.ahansw.com.au
YESFEST CANCELLED
Yesfest, the concert for marriage equality, has been cancelled due to low ticket sales and sponsorship response.
Organiser Jonno Seidler booked the show for Sunday October 29 at the 24,000 capacity Spotless Stadium. The bill covereda range of genres and demographics with artists includingJimmy Barnes, Killing Heidi, Kirin J Callinan, Megan Washington, Flight Facilities and Client Liaison.
The event was hamstrung by its swift turnaround, as the point was to time it with the postal vote; unfortunately, it appeared the limited window to generate ticket sales and buzz was its downfall.
Seidler was obviously disappointed but still passionate about the cause: “Get out there and vote. Make some noise. We have incredible power and it’s time we started using it.”
MYER MUSIC BOWL’S LIST OF NO-NOS FOR CHAINSMOKERS
Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne hasissueda longish list of banned items for The Chainsmokers’ headline show – including, ironically, cigarettes.
Also on the list are creams, lotions, lip balm, lighters, liquids of any type including perfume, animals (except registered assistance animals), portable seating of any kind, umbrellas, glass and aluminium containers, glow sticks,laser pointers, selfie sticks, professional cameras (personal camera phones will be permitted) and promotional material of any kind.
SEVEN MORE FOR FALLS MARION BAY
Joining the 15th Falls Festival Marion Bay festivities are Grinspoon, San Cisco, Nina Las Vegas, WAAX, Maddy Jane, The Teskey Bros and Press Club.
They join Flume, Fleet Foxes, Run The Jewels, The Kooks, Glass Animals, Angus & Julia Stone and Liam Gallagher.
COACHELLA MADE RECORD-BREAKING $114M
This year’s Coachella made a record breaking $114.6 million, Billboard reported. It drew 125,000 for this year’s festival (April 14-16 & 21-23).
This year’s headliners were Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga. The latter stepped in at the last minutewhenBeyoncépushed her set back to 2018, after announcing she was pregnant with twins.
The top gross of all time still belongs to Goldenvoice’s 2016 festival Desert Trip, which grossed a staggering $160 million over two weekends in October 2016. Starring were Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, The Who and Roger Waters. Each weekend drew 75,000 people.
MORE BODIES PILE INTO THE BACK OF THE VAN
Added to Vanfest (December 1 & 2, Forbes Showground, NSW) are actor/musician Mark Furze of Home & Away and Underbelly fame, Tigertown whose single ‘Lonely Cities’ had 10 million streams worldwide, a solo DJ set from Yahtzel of Carmada who are also on the bill, Tasmanian producer and hip hop DJ Akouo, Luke Million, Daft Punk tribute band Discovery, and local Djs Keefy and Ox.
They join Amy Shark, Cosmos Midnight, Dean Lewis, Dune Rats, Ali Barter, Manalion, MUTO, PLGRMS, San Cisco, Tash Sultana, Thundamentals and Wilsonn.
The $1800 VIP area, hosted by Bondi Lifeguards, includes personal waiter, own Jacuzzi and surfing techniques lessons by the lifeguards on the exclusive mechanical surf board.
ULTRA HITS 1 MILLION ATTENDANCE
The global expansion of Miami-based Ultra has seen it hit a total of 1 million patrons attend 45 different Ultra events across five continents, according to Ultra Worldwide.
In 2017 Ultra had 23 new events (covering Road To… and Resistance), 20 different countries, 1028 total artist appearances and 10,000-plus people employed worldwide for 2017.
In 2017 other markets visited by the main Ultra music festival included South Africa, Miami, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, and Shanghai.
The next Ultra is in South Africa (Cape Town and Johannesburg) in February. That is followed the inaugural
Road To Ultra event in Melbourne making Australia Ultra’s sixth continent.
SECOND FINN SHOW AT TWILIGHT AT TARONGA
The Twilight at Taronga series added a secondshow for Neil and Liam Finn on Sunday February 11 after the first one, on the 10th, sold out in 30 minutes. Tickets are fromtwilightattaronga.org.au.
Organisers say tickets are also shifting quickly for Abba tribute band Björn Again on Saturday February 24.
For the first time the series welcomesRocKwiz LIVE with a Valentine’s Day special on Wednesday February 14. Along with the RocKwiz OrKestra are segments such as Who Can It Be Now, Million Dollar Riff, The Furious Five and Contestant Karaoke.
All proceeds from Twilight at Taronga go back into Taronga Zoo’s ongoing conservation work.
Patrons can lend further support by downloading the free Wildlife Witness smartphone app to help stop illegal wildlife trade – one of the biggest threats to species including tigers, elephants, rhinos, sun bears and pangolins
JAIL OVER CLUB PUNCH
Richard Vincec of Geelong was jailed for eight years after fatally punching Jaiden Walker outside Cherry Bar in Melbourne.
The two men got into an argument after Vincec (whom the Supreme Court was told was drunk and had cocaine and speed in his system) kissed a woman whom Walker had previously hada relationship with.
A punch from Vincec saw Walker fall to the ground and his head on the ground, fracturing his skull.
ADELAIDE VENUE TAKE ACTION OVER LIVE MUSIC BAN
Peter and Jenny Hurley, owners of Adelaide’s Kensington Hotel, are raking court action against the Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council over a ban on live music and DJs at the venue.
In July, Council rejected their application to be allowed to have live bands and DJs, saying it would disturb nearby residents. Since 1999 the venue has only been allowed to feature unplugged guitarists, pianists and singers.
The Hurleys’ application said it would provide gigs for local musicians and draw more patrons.
The Adelaide Advertiser reported that in the latest round, the hotel lodged with the Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Court documents in which its consultant, planner Julie Jansen, claim any loud music could be “appropriately managed” and would not be a nuisance to neighbours.
Ten residents had opposed the Kingston’s application.
The Court has ordered both parties to meet on October 31 for out-of-court mediation.
Peter and Jenny Hurley also own nine hotels, including the Arkaba for 20 years as well as the Torrens Arms and Alma hotels as part of the Hurley Hotel Group.
NEW EVENT TO RAISE SPIRITS, FUNDSFOR BYRON YOUTH SERVICE
Tomorrow’s Spirit of the Bay is a youth-focussed event to raise funds for the Byron Youth Service. While the first festival three years ago featured Wolfmother, this year’s instalment focuses on young emerging acts from the area including Indigenoise and Jeremy Storm.
The festival was the brainchild of BYS’s events management course tutor, Min Saxe. Two of the 2017 promoters,Hayley Stibbard and Shanise McIntyre, were previously students.
LOST PICNIC APOLOGISES OVER FOOD QUEUES
Sydney’s Lost Picnic festival organisers took to social media to apologise after some of the 8500 attendees complained they had to wait up to 90 minutes to pick up their pre-paid food hampers and buy drinks – resulting in them missing out on seeing some of the acts they’d paid to see.
In a statement, promoters said, “Lost Picnic 2017 was 9 months in the making and we continually strive to put on high end, quality events.
“We sincerely apologise for the long wait times and agree there were numerous operational issues on the day. We will be addressing all of these well in advance of next year.”
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS…
While Tamworth has 26 taxis, the Tamworth Business Chamber is suggesting that a local Uber-style ride sharing service be introduced in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival when the town swells fivefold.
Home House nightclub in Geelong, Victoria, apologised after a patron was stopped from entering because he was wearing a Vote Yes sticker. It explained that its security team was not being homophobic but was being proactive to “avoid possible conflict among patrons.”
The Greater Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce is encouraging local businesses to express their concerns over the coming of SandTunes on Coolangatta Beach on December 1-2, 2018. Some retailers are annoyed that they might be shut out of the huge festival which is expected to draw 35,000, or hampered by the fact no cars will be allowed into the area during the two days.
Root Down, which made its debut last year as part of Umbrella, is this year returning on October 28 as the first music event at the old Royal Adelaide Hospital. Luke Million is headliner.
Womad New Zealand was named the Best National Event of the Year 2017 at the New Zealand Event Awards.